Improvement in steam-traps



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM OSBORN E, OF SOUTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

iMPaovEMi-:NT iN sTEAM-TRAPS.

Specilcation forming pa t of Letters' Patent No. 42,7, dated May 17, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WiLLrAM OsBoRNE, of South Adams, in the county ot' Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Steam-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being` had' to the aecompanying drawing, forming a part of this specilicati'oa, said drawing representing a vertical sect-o'i of the trap. y

This invention relates to the substitution of a slide-valve for the valves commonly used in steam-traps; and it consists in a novel construction of the trap, whereby such valve is nade to effect the shutting in of the steam and to provide for the escape of the water of condensation, and some important advantages are obtained.

A is a stationary horizontal bed-plate, having iirmly secured at one end an upright stationary post, B, and having formed upon or rmly secured to it the bearings for two parallel horizontal rollers, O O, which support a horizontal steam-tight box, D. In the bottom of this box there is provided a passa-ge, a, the inner end which is in the form of an oblong parallel-sided port, b, and situated in a horizontal valveseat, c, and into the outer end ot' which the water-escape pipe E is secured. To the upper part of this box, at the opposite end to that at which the post B is arranged, the steam-pipe F is irmlyattached, and this pipe has a horizontal direction for some distance from the box, and is lirmly secured at a suitable distance therefrom to a fixed support to prevent any horizontal movement but what results from its expansion and contraction.

G is the slidevalve, having in it a port, d, of a size and t'orm corresponding with the port b in the valveseat c. This valve is fitted to the seat c, and is connected with one end of a stem or rod, e, which passes through a stuft'- ingbox,f, in the end ot' the box next the post B, and the other end of which is firmly secured to the said post.

The operation of the trap is as follows:

While water issues from the pipe F into the box D, the said box and the valve occupy the relative positions shown in the drawing-that is to say, the port d ot' the valve is wholly or partly over the port b of the seat-and the water escapes freely through the passage a and pipe E; but as soon as water ceases to issue from the pipe F and steam issues therefrom into the box, the horizontal portion ot' the pipe F and the whole ot' box D and the valve and its stem e become expanded by heat, and the box is caused to move longitudinally toward the post B and the valve to move in the opposite direction, and the port. d of the valve is thereby brought to a position on the lei't of the port b ot' the seat. The

port b being now closed, no escape through the passage a and pipe E takes place; but when water again issues through the pipe F into the box D, the horizontal portion of the y pipe F, the box, and the valve and its stem, becoming cooler, contract, and the box is thereby caused to move away from the post B and the valve to move toward it, and the port d, again arriving` over the port b, opens the passage a to permit the water to escape. In this operation the rollers O O permit the box to move with very little friction.

The great advantage of this trap over those commonly used is, that the valve is not caused by the expansion to press directly against its seat, and thereby injure it in such manner as to destroy its tit.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure oy Letters Patent, is-

l. The slide valve G, in combination with the fixed post B, and the longitudinallymoving box D, and steampipe F, substantially as herein g specilied.

2. The arrangement of the steam-box D of a steam-trap to run upon rollers C O in a direction parallel with a face of a slide-valve contained in said box, substantially as herein speci tied.

WILLIAM OSBORNE.

Vitnesses: v

HENRY J. BLIss, J AMES OsBoRNE. 

